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Andrea Morandini in EcoeFISHent lab

Image: AIMPLAS

AIMPLAS Working to Develop Valuable Packaging Applications From Fish-Processing Waste

24/09/2024

AIMPLAS, a Valencia, Spain-based research and technology center, is participating in a European project designed to develop an eco-friendly barrier coating for food packaging from fish gelatin as well as cosmetics packaging from waste fishing nets.
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Hand and cup

Image: Woodly Oy

Woodly – made of wood, looks like plastic

23/09/2024

Wood-based substitute material for plastic offers the food industry new sustainable options. Finnish start-up and SAVE FOOD member Woodly supplies wood cellulose polymers for various packaging solutions and products such as reusable cups. The carbon-neutral material is particularly useful in ensuring that bread is hygienically packaged while staying fresh for a long time and looking appetising.
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Woman holding bag of feathers

Image: Aeropowder

Natural insulation from feathers

18/07/2024

With their microscopically small hollow fibre structure, feathers are among the lightest natural fibres ever and provide excellent heat insulation. A British start-up utilises these properties and turns feathers, a waste product from the poultry industry, into an insulating packaging material for the cold transport.
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Aldi UK has been at the forefront of many efforts to advance sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint of its product packaging

Image: Aldi

ALDI UK using AI to provide visibility to its flexible plastic packaging efforts

26/06/2024

Aldi UK is pioneering the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in its recycling of flexible plastic packaging. The supermarket offers front-of-store collection points for such packaging and then applies technology from Greenback Recycling Technologies to track and verify the flow of material using eco2Veritas system. The project is supported by the brand-backed Flexible Plastic Fund.
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Depending on composition, the colour of the final product may vary.

Image: Constanze Tillmann

Kombucha leather – packaging from the tea lab

25/06/2024

The packaging industry is looking for creative solutions to package food both safely and sustainably. A young team of students and researchers in Istanbul is currently working on prototypes of SCOBY, a leather-like biofilm made from fermented kombucha tea.
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Long machine taking up three-storeys inside a hall

Image: Sappi

Sustainable coatings for packaging papers

24/06/2024

Food is more and more often wrapped in paper. But this natural material is porous and has next to no barrier properties against humidity, oxygen, grease or oil. Paper producers like Sappi are now coating their packaging papers sustainably using water-based barriers which do not impact later recycling. In research, a common topic is the development of bio-based barrier coating materials.
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Aldi refill station with touch screens

Image: GoUnpackaged

The Refill Coalition aims to take reuse and refill mainstream

21/05/2024

The UK-based Refill Coalition, led by the GoUnpackaged NGO, has worked with molder Berry Global and supply-chain firm CHEP to create a system designed to vastly reduce retailers’ need for single-use plastics packaging.
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Three EU flags

Image: unsplash/ Alexandre Lallemand

Compulsive EU regulation for sustainable packaging not far away

13/05/2024

Harmonising the rules on packaging and packaging waste within Europe is long overdue. The draft of a Europe-wide, compulsive packaging directive by the European Commission in 2022 has already passed through the different levels of legislation and could achieve final adoption in autumn. Industry representatives are both expressing approval and criticism.
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Lisa Antonie Scherer

Image: Proservation

Inventor with team spirit

13/05/2024

Founding a start-up right after graduation takes courage. Therefore, Lisa Antonie Scherer joined forces with three others to market her invention, an eco-friendly padding material. The most recent step is a successful crowd funding campaign to enable the purchase of a demonstration system.
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Sway Co-founders at a seaweed farm

Image: Alex Krowiak

Seaweed-based packaging gaining traction as a plastic alternative

16/04/2024

Notpla Ltd. has landed a big contract with a UK sports-venue operator, while California startup Sway has launched a new seaweed-based biopolymer and secured major new funding. Both have won awards and are helping to commercialize seaweed-based packaging.
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Woman carrying multiple boxes

Image: iStock

Why ‘right-sizing’ your parcel packaging is good for the planet, and the bottom line

26/03/2024

Consumers are all but addicted to home delivery of all types of products, driving the number of parcels shipped globally from 161 billion in 2022 to an estimated 225 billion by 2028.
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Green box with tray with holes and glass jars

Image: Pacoon

A sturdy concept for the future of reusable containers?

12/03/2024

Within the planned EU packaging regulation, quotas for reusable containers play an important part. However, reusable container collection systems are not yet widespread in Europe. This is in spite of the fact that preserves, jams, fruit gums, sauces or dried products could come in reusable packaging in addition to beverages. Pacoon now has developed a new reusable container system.
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Two hands holding an open cardboard package.

Image: AdobeStock

Ultrasonic welding of uncoated paper

12/12/2023

Welding uncoated paper using ultrasound is something new. The innovative joining procedure is friendly to the environment, making it possible to save large amounts of energy and resources. Syntegon, who own the patent, have recently licensed the process to Herrmann Ultraschall. The company is supposed to bring the process to market.
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tray sample

Image: Juha Hakulinen, VTT Technical Research Center of Finland

VTT PILOTS CELLULOSE AS ALTERNATIVE TO RIGID POLYPROPYLENE PACKAGING

30/11/2023

Researchers at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland have developed formable, cellulose-based webs that they say offer a sustainable alternative to plastic in rigid polypropylene in food packaging applications.
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Mia Pettersson

Image: BASF

Women in packaging: Mia Pettersson – helping take compostable bioplastics to the next level

14/11/2023

BASF has been active in the bioplastics field for more than 30 years. Swedish chemical engineer Mia Pettersson is head of BASF’s biopolymer portfolio in Ludwigshafen, Germany, where she works on continuing to develop compostable and biodegradable plastics while supporting women in their advancement in the company.
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Three unprinted tea bags with clip-on cards

Image: EN Tea

Compostable biopolymer PBS replacing fossil plastics

14/11/2023

Bioplastics can replace conventional fossil plastics in many applications while being processed in the same way. One important type of bioplastic is PBS. The biopolymer is plant-based, biodegradable and recyclable. A Japanese tea manufacturer is now using PBS in the packaging for its tea bags.
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Glowing glass bottles in production

Image: Vetropack

Less material and more green energy: The glass industry is becoming more sustainable

17/10/2023

Glass is the ideal packaging material for beverages and foods. It is odourless and neutral in taste and does not react with the filled goods. However, its production is very energy intensive and the industry is working hard to become climate-neutral.
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Light-coloured bottle with water drops

The novel cellulose fibres are produced from a mix of curran, bamboo and bagasse. (Image: RyPax)

New bottle design – 100 percent fibre-based

11/10/2023

The interest in fibre bottles is large, as they are lightweight, robust and made from renewable resources. The material does not always have to be wood from fir and deciduous trees, left-over material from food production is also suitable. For example sugar beet chips, which are a waste product of sugar production.
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Oval labels printed with shiny bright metallic colours

Image: Actega

Sustainable print finishing

12/09/2023

Embossing, colour effects and particularly metallic sheens catch the eyes at points of sale. Finishing labels and folded boxes with conventional embossing foil, however, creates lots of film waste. But now an alternative, which allows metallic pigments to be applied selectively and cost-effectively and which consequently eliminates the need for plastic film, has arrived.
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Two plastic bottles with transparent label

Image: Dow

How labels are becoming more recyclable

12/09/2023

A world without labels? Inconceivable. Their endless variety of materials, shapes and functions help labels attract attention. But it should also be possible to separate them from their packaging again at the end of the packaging’s life in the interests of a circular economy. Recyclable solutions are on the way.
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Takeaway drink with paper lid

Image: The Paper Lid Company

Paper lids for less single-use plastic

15/08/2023

When the time comes for a hot or cold drink while out and about, many people opt for takeaway beverages in disposable cups. These often come with a plastic lid, resulting in a significant volume of waste. One Finnish start-up is instead using recyclable paperboard lids and has entered into a partnership with Walki.
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Two men with a tray made from pulp material

Image: PulPac

Eurostars project for fibre-based packaging concluded

11/07/2023

As part of the Eurostars funding programme, PulPac in Sweden and the Bio-Lutions start-up in Germany have together developed a prototype for a new dry-moulded-fibre machine that’s able to process fibres from agricultural waste. The project saw them adapting standard components that are traditionally used to make plastic products.
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 Image of an analogue cash register

Image: StellrWeb/unsplash

Considering the carbon footprint during refitting

13/06/2023

Packaging materials are usually the first thing that come to mind when the topic of the ‘carbon footprint of packaging’ is brought up. Machines, however, also produce emissions. But even relatively simple modifications may result in considerable savings. A tool by the KHS mechanical engineering company in Germany is able to quantify those savings.
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Rolls of tin on a meadow with flowers

Image: thyssenkrupp Rasselstein

Tin packaging becomes more climate-friendly

13/06/2023

They are regarded as best for recycling: Tin cans, tubes and bottles. But they don’t score well in terms of their carbon footprint because it is not yet possible to produce steel without using coal as the source of energy. Industry is, however, working on more sustainable solutions and has launched the first carbon-reduced steel for packaging.
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Food packaging with compostable extrusion coating

Image: BASF

Compostable coating for food-safe paper packaging

13/06/2023

Barrier properties are particularly important to food packaging. Consumers are additionally demanding solutions that are environmentally friendly. BASF has developed an extrusion coating for paper and cardboard packaging, which may be composted both industrially and domestically.
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Product photo of the PaperX tube by Hoffmann Neopac

Image: Hoffmann Neopac

What are the benefits of paper tubes?

16/05/2023

Packaging is being viewed differently in these times of ever scarcer raw materials and increasing environmental issues. As are tubes. Some companies are placing their hopes on fibre-based solutions, e.g. paper. But are there only benefits to paper tubes?
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Cold shipping with paperfloc eco systems

Impression of a trade fair hall at interpack

These topics will shape interpack 2023

18/04/2023

Circular economy, conserving resources, digital technologies and product safety – those are the four hot topics which will shape interpack 2023 more than any other issue. But what exactly are these focal points of interest all about?
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WorldStar Award trophy

Since 1970, the WorldStar Awards have been conferred every year. (Image: WPO

Industry innovations in the spotlight

18/04/2023

Since 1970, the World Packaging Organization has annually awarded the WorldStar Awards. With this prize, WPO honours the achievements of the companies and developers in the industry. In 2023, this highly sought-after prize will be awarded during interpack.
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Three women in front of laptops.

The students worked on the research project in six teams. (Image: BAU)

SAVE FOOD research project: New food packaging from leftover food

18/04/2023

Food production generates a lot of residual material, which is usually not put to use but disposed of. At the same time, there is an increasing demand for alternatives to plastic packaging. Biodegradable and compostable packaging can be a sustainable solution, especially if it is made of leftovers from food production.
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Inspection Laptop

How to save? GreenSaver from Robatech provides detailed answers (Image: Robatech)

Advertorial - Systematically making use of savings potential in adhesive application

13/04/2023

Rising energy prices, shortages of raw materials and supply bottlenecks are increasingly putting a strain on companies. Under the motto "You don't need much. Just the right thing.", Robatech will present GreenSaver at interpack 2023. With this service, the savings potential in industrial hotmelt application can be determined.
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A bottle made of bioplastic stands on top of a moss covered tree stump.

Looks like PET, but is PEF bioplastic. (Image: Avantium)

Bioplastics in packaging

14/02/2023

There is a reason why the packaging industry has been focusing for decades on the many different applications for fossil plastics. Now, companies are increasingly focussing on biobased plastics. But what are the possible applications, and what needs to be considered during the changeover?
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Product photograph of three PET water bottles with stretch sleeve

CCL Label was able to reduce the thickness of their stretch sleeves to 30 micrometres. (Image: CCL Label)

Thinner sleeves for more sustainability

14/02/2023

Everyone is talking about sustainability. The way to an improved carbon footprint is to decrease the use of unnecessary material. Austrian company CCL Label, for example, were recently able to decrease the thickness of their stretch sleeves for PET bottles by one third.
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Plastic pallets by Cabka

The sustainable load carriers by Cabka were especially designed and improved for the chemical industry. (Image: Cabka)

The new generation of recycled plastic pallets

12/12/2022

For the chemical industry, plastic pallets could be a sustainable alternative when it comes to the transport and storage of products. With the help of industry feedback, Cabka has developed a sustainable generation of their plastic pallets, made from recycled material.
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Product image of the head of a vacuum suction pad

The ZP3C series vacuum pad (shown here in the version for flat work pieces) does not require tools for maintenance thanks to its two-part construction. (Image: SMC Deutschland GmbH)

New vacuum pad makes maintenance possible without tools

12/12/2022

Transport of hazardous materials poses different challenges to labels. They have to adhere to different materials and be resistant to chemicals or environmental effects. Storage and disposal of large amounts of labels can become a problem.
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A person applying a hazard label to an uneven surface

Boxlab Services takes care that hazard labels comply with legal requirements. (Image: Boxlab Services)

Small print runs of labels for hazardous materials

17/11/2022

Transport of hazardous materials poses different challenges to labels. They have to adhere to different materials and be resistant to chemicals or environmental effects. Storage and disposal of large amounts of labels can become a problem.
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Several harvested sugar bundles lie on the ground.

Plastics can also be produced from fibre-based raw materials, for example from sugar cane. (Credit: Victoria Priessnitz/unsplash)

A bioplastic for every application

24/10/2022

Fossil plastics have a lot of advantages, but they are also said to be harmful to the environment. Bioplastics are an alternative for packaging manufacturers. They are just as versatile, but are made using renewable resources, and some are even compostable.
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A blue rubbish bin with a white recycling symbol

The use of recyclates begins with the correct separation of waste. (Image: Sigmund/unsplash)

Use of recyclates in packaging

24/10/2022

If there is one thing the industry agrees on, it is that more recycled raw materials must be used. In the case of plastics, this means recyclates. They are in greater demand than ever, but the supply is still relatively small. What do packaging manufacturers have to pay attention to when using them, and what has to change so that more recyclates can be used?
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A person explores the touchcap bottle closure with an index finger.

Tactile nubs form on the surface of the cap as soon as the contents of the bottle are no longer fit for consumption.

A closure fighting food waste

24/10/2022

Too much food is still being thrown away around the world, even though it may still have a shelf life. Together with United Caps, a London start-up has now developed a bottle cap that provides information about the edibility of the contents beyond the best-before date.
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Drink cans and plastic bottles

There is no such thing as innately good or bad packaging, and the environmental impact should always be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. (Image: Nick Fewings/unsplash)

Life cycle assessments – a useful tool or greenwashing?

26/09/2022

Plastic or paper, single use or reusable – which packaging gets the best marks in a life cycle assessment? The answer often appears to be simple, but an environmental assessment should always look at the individual case in detail, because there are benefits and drawbacks everywhere – and the results are sometimes surprising.
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White smoke coming out from factory grounds

Many companies are thinking about their energy consumption and CO2 emissions. (Image: Marcin Jozwiak/ Unsplash)

Reliably determining the carbon footprint of packaging machines

26/09/2022

Companies are looking for ways to make their production and their products more sustainable. One of the important factors is the machinery which is used here. TÜV Rheinland has now certified a method by Syntegon which determines the carbon footprint of the machines produced by the company.
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Super Combi complete line for PET bottles from Sidel

With the new complete line, PET bottles in various different sizes can be filled and packaged even more quickly. (Image: Sidel)

Go with the flow! With the fastest complete water filling line in the Middle East

17/08/2022

Quality and efficiency are key production requirements for water supplier Mai Dubai. The company turned to Sidel for a new bottling system. Now, 86,000 bottles per hour are being filled by Super Combi, the fastest complete line in the Middle East region.
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Cart buyer in supermarket

Image: AdobeStock

Sausage wrap that can be recycled

21/07/2022

Sliced sausage is supposed to look good on the refrigerator shelves in the supermarket and is usually wrapped in non-recyclable transparent composite film. Now, thanks to energy-efficient heating systems in thermoforming machines for packaging, it is possible to use more sustainable materials – while maintaining the same level of safety, quality and transparency.
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A man in a supermarket looking at a package.

Image: AdobeStock

Less material needed to produce sealing films

21/07/2022

Films are an important part of packaging: They provide an impenetrable barrier between the product and the environment. That said, industrial handling of such sealing films is not always simple. A cooperation between Plasthill and Constantia Flexibles has now led to the development of a PE film which uses less material, thus leading to reduced CO2 emissions, yet has greater seal strength.
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Pulp moulded one-way pallet

Photo: Wiederstein Verpackungen

Hemp, a trending material?

24/06/2022

When cannabis is mentioned, its intoxicating effects are the first thing that springs to mind for most people. However, the European hemp varieties that are cultivated today contain very little that is intoxicating, and instead have a high amount of fibres that are ideally suited for making them into paper labels, cold storage packaging or even one-way pallets.
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Several small single-use bags

Photo: Kier In Sight / unsplash

Mono-material sachets

21/06/2022

For packaging made of plastic, their potential to be recycled is very important. Refilling systems save material. Mono-material sachets and bags also reduce the amount of material consumed, protect packaged goods and have practical uses for customers.
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A collage shows a dummy flow pack in the foreground, with a portion of mince on a wooden chopping board in the background.

Image: Südpack

Flow packs as a sustainable solution in food packaging

25/05/2022

From requiring less material in production to taking up less space on supermarket shelves, flow packs have some clear benefits. Predominantly used in the food sector, this packaging is becoming more and more popular. But how sustainable are these packs?
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© Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com

High-Tech against spoilage of food

03/07/2015

Over 80 kilos of foodstuffs are disposed of per year per capita in Germany according to statistical assessments. Innovative packaging material is to contribute to longer shelf-life.
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